I am So confused. How do I buy an Oriental Rug?
Q: How do I know if an oriental rug is handmade?
A:
A hand-knotted rug has, on its back, visible foundation threads that run east to west (the width). These threads are called the weft. The actual knots are tied around the Warp threads which run north south on the back of the rug. These threads are not frequently visible. In a machine made rug the visible threads usually run north/south unlike the handmade piece where the visible threads run right to left.
Q: Which country makes the best rugs?
A:
Historically the art of rug weaving probably achieved its zenith in Iran and Turkey. Some the finest other examples of the art came from the Caucasian Mountains & Turkmenistan. In the modern rug weaving world, this is not precisely the right question to ask as all rug producing countries make both great and marginal rugs. One must be careful of newer Iranian rugs for much of that country's production is not mindful of the critical nature of color fast dyes. As a rug cleaner, I frequently cringe when faced with the challenge of cleaning a modern Persian carpet. From a structural point of view, Pakistan, India, China, Turkey and Nepal all make exceptional carpets. But it should be noted that India and Pakistan are significant suppliers of low end goods that may not wear well in the long (or short) run.
Your best course of action is to buy from a reputable dealer who stands behind his or her merchandise and who has experience in service of Oriental rugs This service expertise makes a dealer a better buyer...knowledgeable in dyes and wool quality and durability of construction.
Eliminate dealers who do not display prices on all new merchandise. Beware of dealers who routinely offer disproportionately high discounts on all merchandise. This usually is a sign of unrealistically high list prices.
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